Automatic socket packaging machine



Jan. 10, 1961 G. M. GRlMALDl AUTOMATIC socxm PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1958 INVENTOR M Grima X wwN hwN whull d A'l'l'ORN EY Jan. 10, 1961 G. M. GRIMALDI AUTOMATIC socxm' PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 9, 1958 ":IVENTOR 15 M Grzwalda' Jan. 10, 1961 G. M. GRlMALDl AUTOMATIC SOCKET PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 195a Y\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\A I Filed May 9, 1958 G. M. GRIMALDI 2,967,385

AUTOMATIC SOCKET PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /V 23 I illlll w /Z36 m 8 INVENTQR -Z34 e 260 u yfig 'rzmaldz A'ITORN Jan. 10, 1961 e. M. GRIMALDI AUTOMATIC SOCKET PACKAGING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 9, 1958 R Y W a m mm m E 8g.- W 7% A =Ih===L Y B w a United States Patent 2,967,385 AUTOMATIC SOCKET PACKAGING MACHINE Guy M. Grimaldi, North Warren, Pa., assignor, by mesrre assignments, to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., W11- mington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 9, 1958, 'Ser. No. 734,175

11 Claims. (Cl. 53-78) The invention relates to packaging articles of manufacture such as electrical connectors. More particularly the invention relates to transferring, processing and stacking of electron tube sockets in a form suitable for storage or for subsequent use in automatic apparatus'for inserting the sockets in a chassis.

Prior to this invention, packaging of tubeso'ckets ennsisted of dumping the completed loose sockets into large barrels for storage or for sale. This method is unsatisfactory since the sockets are subject to damageand distortion of their connecting pins while in transit and are not in an organization, i.e., oriented or aligned, suitable for use with automatic assembly equipment.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will accept a completed socket from an assembly machine, and adjust, test and, in a prearranged order, stack the sockets. v

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic apparatus for transferring sockets from an assembling machine to a second machine wherein there is effected the testing, adjusting and finally the stacking of the'sockets on a plurality of sequentially filled holding or stacking strips. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide means for transferring articles from the socket assembly machine to an aperture in a vertical turret.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel magazine for article retaining means and means for indexing the magazine. 7

Yet another object of this invention is to provide novel indexing means for a magazine.

These and other objects and advantages of 'myjin'vention will become evident during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part'here'of, and in which like numerals are employed to design-are like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus shown partly in cross section with most of a cover plate broken away..

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus, shown partlyin cross section, with a side cover plate removed.

Fig.3 is a cross section of the apparatus taken along a line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig.4 is a cross section of the apparatus taken along a line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of a stacking, turret showing the relationship of the socket to the stacking strip and also the means for securing the strip within a carrier channel. v I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of Fig. 5 showing the nesting'of the sockets as they are fed on the strip and as viewed from the back side of 'Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentaryplan view in cross section of thestacking turret showing a means for indexing the turret.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary end view, in cross Section, of the indexing mechanism shown in Fig. 7.

2,967,385 Patented Jan. It), 1961 Fig. 9 is a front view of the transfer turret showing a transfer arm'in its raised or. delivery position, as well as a spider which carries a pin flaring tool, a .pin checker, and a socket ejector.

0 Fig. 10 .is a fragmentary side elevation of ,theappararus showing theielative'positidns of the parts 'at the start of a cycle.

Fig. 11 is also a fragmentary side elevation similar 'to Fig. 10 showing the relative positions of the parts at approximately the mid-point of a cycle.

Fig. 12 is a cross section of a pin checker.

-'Fig. 13 is a cross section of one form of a transfer arrn Briefly, the apparatus of "the subject invention is a socket adjusting, testing and packaging machine synchronized with a machine for assembling, socket com .ponents into sockets. At the unload position of theassembly machine a socket is ejected from the head in which it was assembled into "a transfer arm. The transfer arm carries the socket to a vertical turret where it is seated by the operation of a stripper. positions of this vertical turret the socket pins maybe adjusted, tested for position and the like. At a further position ofthe vertical turret, means are provided to remove the socket therefrom and to place it on a pack-aging strip. An indexible magazine of packaging strips is provided so that when one strip becomes filled with sockets another automatically takes its place. 7

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a portion of the socket assembly machine 20 and a transfer, adjusting, testing and packaging apparatus 22. For our presentp'urposes the socket assembly machine may be consideredfto include an indexible turret 24 mounting a plurality of assemblyheads 26in which the sockets 27 are assembled. Each of the sockets is oriented in its assembly head at a 'pri-or'st'ation, not shown, by virtue of the projections 31, 32 with which each socket is provided matching with similarly shaped recesses 34, 36 in the assembly head. At the unloading position of the assembly machine a socket is pushed from the assembly head by an ejector 38, controlled by a cam (not shown) on the assembly machine into the contoured, spring operated jaws 40 of the transfer arm 42 (see Fig. 13), the contour being provided to facilitate longitudinal movement of the socket into 'the jaws. One form of the jaws, as illustrated in Fig. 13, is provided with a bevelled edge 44 which is toward the socket at the time its displacement from the assembly head to the jaws takes place. The jaws are urged toward one another by the tension of the spring 46 acting through the pins 48 mounted thereon.

Synchronization between the main drive shaft 50 of the assembly machine and the main shaft 51 of the apparatus is achieved through a sprocket 53 fixed on the shaft 50, an endless chain 54 (see Fig. 4), additional sprockets 56,58 which are afiixed to a common rotatable shaft 60, a further endless chain 62, a sprocket 64 and a gear 66 both affixed to a common rotatable shaft 68, and a pinion 70 which is pinned to the main shaft 51 of the adjusting and packaging apparatus which is journalled in the apparatus frame 52.

The transfer arm 42 is fixed on a shaft 74 (see Fig. 1) on which is also fixed a gear 76 which meshes with a rack 78. The rack is connected through a link 80 (see Figs. 2 and 3) to one end of a cam follower arm 82 which is pivoted at its opposite end 84. Mounted intermediate the ends of the arm 82 is follower roller .86

which contacts a cam 88 that is fixed on a transverse shaft 90. Attached to the shaft is a miter gear 92 which meshes with a like gear 94 fixed on the main shaft v51. of the apparatus. Thus the operation of the transfer arm is synchronized with the main assembly machine and the At subsequent I other functions of the apparatus through its connection to the main shaft 51.

The apparatus is provided with an article retaining member or turret 98 (see Fig. 2) which has passing therethrough a plurality of spaced contoured openings 100. The contour of the opening 100 matches the outer contour of the socket 27 which is to be inserted therein. The socket holding member or turret is rigidly attached to one end of a horizontal hollow shaft 102 which is journalled for rotation in the apparatus frame 52 and is prevented from moving longitudinally by the restraining collars 104 bearing against the frame and afiixed to the other end of the shaft. Intermediate the ends of this shaft is mounted a Geneva wheel 106 which coacts with the Geneva driver 108 mounted on the apparatus main shaft 51 to provide indexed rotation of the turret 98 with locking of the Geneva wheel during the non-indexing part of the cycle. Thus the turret indexing movement is controlled by the rotation of the main shaft 51.

A stripper mechanism 110 is provided to strip the socket 27 from the jaws 40 of the transfer arm 42 and insert it in one of the recesses 100 where it is frictionally held in the vertical turret 98 against a back up plate 101. The operations of the stripper mechanism is synchronized with the operation of the transfer arm 42 and of the turret 98 since it is controlled by a cam 112, fastened on the common main shaft 51. The cam 112 operates against a cam follower 114 which is aflixed to an arm 116 pivoted at its lower end 118 and connected to a resilient link 120 at its upper end. This link is connected to one end of a slide bar 122 which moves in a slide box 124 carried by the apparatus frame 52. A pin 126 carried by the slide bar 122 passes through a slot 127 in the slide box and compresses a spring 128 contained in a lower chamber 130 of the slide box. This spring exerts a return force on the slide bar 122 and also serves to keep the cam follower 114 in contact with the cam 112. A stripper finger 132 which contacts the socket has a recess 133 in its end so that the center pin of the socket is not contacted. The stripper finger is pivotally connected to the other end of the slide bar 122. A coil spring 134 is provided (see Figs. 10 and 11) to lift the stripper finger 132 when it is not in contact with the cam surface 136 of the leading edge of the slide box 124. The cam surface 136 causes the stripper finger 132 to move into the horizontal position from its normal position clear of the path of the transfer arm 42 against the action of the coil spring 134, when the slide bar 122 is retracted by operation of the cam 112. Since the cam 112 is fast on the main drive shaft 51 operation of the stripper is also synchronized.

A socket 27 of the type contemplated herein comprises a plastic non-conductive base member 28 (see Fig. and pins or conductive members 29, 30. Before the socket is usable the alignment of the pins must be adjusted and the presence and alignment of the pins verified. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the means for accomplishing this are carried on a spider 138. This spider is fastened on a shaft 140 for longitudinal movement but is restrained from rotation by a guide rail 142 riding in a slot 143 on the spider, the rail being mounted on the apparatus frame 52. Longitudinal movement of the shaft 140, which is slidable within the hollow shaft 102, is accomplished by movement of the carriage 144, to which the shaft 140 is attached, on the guide rails 146. This carriage is caused to move, by the displacement of the cam follower 148, mounted on the carriage, against the force of the return spring 150 which embraces a carriage mounted pin 153 and is enclosed in a housing 151. The cam follower 148 follows the contour of a earn 152 which is affixed to the transverse shaft 90. A slot 154 is provided in the carriage 144 to permit the motion of the carriage relative to the transverse shaft. The advance and retraction of the spider and the tool carried thereby is synchronized with the other components of the apparatus due to their common drive shaft 51 which is connected to the transverse shaft 70 by the miter gears 92 and 94.

A pin adjusting or flaring tool 156 is positioned on the spider 138 so that it corresponds with a socket containing recess in the vertical turret 98 during a dwell of the Geneva wheel 106. The tool 156 is provided with a contoured surface 158 and a recess 160 (see Figs. 10 and 11). The contoured surface sets the socket pins 29 to the angle desired when the spider is advanced by the operation of the cam 152, as explained above. The socket 28 is restrained from longitudinal movement in the recess by the backup plate 101 during the flaring operation. The central pin 30 of the socket enters the recess 160 in the flaring tool and therefore its position is not disturbed.

Another arm of the spider 138, corresponding to a further indexed position of the vertical turret 98, carries a pin detector 162 (see Figs. 9, 10, l1 and 12) which can be used to detect the presence or absence, and posi' tion of the socket pins 29, 30. The detector 162 cornprises an insulating housing 163 and a plurality of spaced metallic checker pins or rods 164 passing through two spaced conductive plates 166 and 167 fixed within the housing and they are urged by springs 168 surrounding the pins and reacting between collars 169 fixed on the pins and conductive plate 166 to an extended position with respect to the housing. One of the conductive plates 166 is provided with holes each of which closely matches the diameter of the checker pins 164 which are free to slide therein. The other conductive plate 167 is provided with openings 174 which are larger than the diameter of the checker pins 164 but smaller than the diameter of the metal collars 169 mounted on the pins. When the detector contacts the pins 29, 30 of a complete socket, upon the advance of the spider 138 toward the turret 98, the detector pins 164 are arrested while the housing 163 continues to advance. This causes the collars 169 to separate from the plate 167 against which they had been held by the force of the springs 168. This breaks the electrical continuity of the ejector circuit from plate 167, through collar 169 detector pin 164, spring 168, to plate 166. Since no contact has been made the ejector solenoid 178 is not energized. However, if a pin is absent, for example the center pin 30 (see Figs. 10, 1] and 12), the collar 169 of the corresponding detector rod remains in contact with the plate 167. The circuit being thus established, acting in conjunction with a switch operated by a timing cam (not shown) located on the main shaft 50 of the assembly machine 20, connects the solenoid 178 to a source of potential (not shown) which causes its core 180 to be drawn therein. Though a link 182 and pivoted lever 184, the ejector rod 186 held in slideway 188 on the machine frame 52 advances toward the spider 138 against the forces of a return spring 190 through an opening 192 that is provided in the backup plate 101. As the spider withdraws from its operative position the defective socket is ejected. The timing cam previously mentioned breaks the reject circuit allowing the return spring 190 to withdraw the ejector rod 186 before the vertical turret 98 is indexed to the next position.

At the next indexed position of the turret 98, when the spider 138 advances, an accepted socket is pushed through the turret opening 100 by a transfer rod 194 which is fixed on one arm of the spider 138 in registration with the socket containing opening. The transfer rod 194 has a recess 196 in its end which clears the center pin 30 of the socket so that the force is applied wholly to the base member 28. A stacking strip or retainer 198 is positioned behind and in registration with the socket containing opening so that the sockets, as they are expelled from the vertical turret are pushed on to the strip. The configuration of the strip is complementary 5 '"to the recesses provided in the seeker so that-the stickt 1s thereby retained on the strip. Thestfip'it'self is lfeld in a magazine 200 which is -composed of a plurality of discs 202 fastened to a common rotatable shaft 204 which at'its ends is journalled in the apparatus frame 52. The discs are recessed at 60 degree intervals along their periphery with the recesses aligned with respect to each other to receive a plurality of channels 206 which are fastened to the discs Within the recesses.

The wall of the channel 286, see Fig. 6, has acutout 208 adjacent each disc 202 to receive locking fingers 210, see Fig. 4, which hold t-he'sock'et stacking strip 198 firmly in the bottom of its channel. The IOcking fingers for each channel are pinned to a common operating shaft 212. The locking action of the fingers"zlz'iscontrolled by a fixed cam 214 mounted ona stop plate 216 (see Fig. 2) attached to the apparatus frame 52. The cam has a hump 218 which engages the opposite end of one :of the set of locking fingers causing the entire set of fingers to retract from the stacking strip 198 when itis at the unloading position of the magazine 200. After the fingers ride over the hump of the cam they are returned to the strip locking position by a spring 220 connected between one of the fingers 210 and-a disc 202. The stop plate 216 is used to accurately position the stacking strips 198 longitudinally of the magazine 200 when they are loaded into the magazine. An empty stacking strip 198 is inserted in the magazine 200 'by manually retracting the locking fingers 210, placing the strip in the channel 206, and releasing the locking fingers so that the strip is retained in the channel.

Accepted sockets are individually fed onto the stacking strip 198 by the operation of the spider 138. The sockets fed on the strip by previous operations are advanced along the strip by the sockets delivered to the strip 'by the transfer rod 194 as the spider 138 advances toward the turret 98. As a stacking str'ip becomes filled with a predetermined number of sockets, the lead socket, see Fig. 2, contacts a lever arm 222 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3') that is pivotally mounted 224 intermediate itsends on the apparatus frame 52 by means of abracket 226. The free end 228 of the lever arm contacts a switch '230 which activates a solenoid valve (not shown) allowing fluid pressure to enter the cylinder 232 thus initiating the indexing operation of the magazine 200 by driving the indexing slide 234 forward as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 3 and 7.

The slide 234 advances in the slideway 236 which is mounted on the apparatus frame 52. A pawl 238, loaded by a spring 239 is carried by the slide. The pawl has a cam surface 240 and is pivoted at 242 on the slide. The pawl engages a roller 244 that is mounted on the end of a carriage 246 carrying a locking pin 247. The carriage is located in a recess 248 in the apparatus frame 52. Further advance of the slide 234 forces the carriage 246 back against the pressure of a spring 250 withdrawing the locking pin 247 from a recess 254 in an index disc 256 which is pinned to the stacking turret shaft 204. A recess 254 and a corresponding index pin 258 are provided to match with each position of the magazine 200. As the slide continues to advance, an upstanding dog'260, pivotally mounted at 262 on the slide, and which dog is loaded by a leaf spring 264 to maintain it in an upright position, engages one of the projecting index pins 258. As the magazine 200 begins to move, an index pin 258 thereon that had been holding a switch 266 closed by means of an operator 268, allows the switch to open which in turn operates a clutch (not shown) on the main assembly machine 20, suspending the operation of "the assembly machine and transfer and stacking apparatus 22 until the index of the turret is completed, as indicated by a subsequent index pm 258 again closing the clutch energizing circuit (not shown).

When the index disc 256 has rotated to the next indexed position of the magazine the locking pin 247,

6 whichha'd been' riding'on 'the surface of the disc 256 "subsequent to its withdrawal from therece'ss 254,-drops into the succeeding recessg254 thus locking the disc against further rotation. The slide 234 continues to advance until the forward end of the slide contacts a switch 270 which operates the aforementioned solenoid valve causing the fluid cylinder 232'to return'to its original position. The pawl 238 and the dog 260 yield as the slide retracts so that the indexing'operation'will occur only on the advance stroke of the slide.

The operation of the transfer, processing 'and 'stacki'ng apparatus is as follows:

A completed socket 27 is pushed from an'assembly head 26 on the socket assembly machine 20 into the .jaws 40 of the transfer arm '42 when the jaws are ipositioned above the assembly head. As 'the'transfer arm moves from the assembly machine to a position oppositer the vertical turret 98, the assembly machine indexes to "its next position. Whenthe transfer arm'42 isverti'cal, the "stripper mechanism 110 operates to strip the socket from the transfer arm and insertit into a recess in the turret. During this time the spider 138 "carrying the various devices, as previously explained, moves toward the turret, simultaneously flaring the pins29, checks for their presence, and transferring the accepted socket to a packaging strip 198 which is carried in the inflexible magazine 205). As the spider and stripper retract after having performed the above described operations, rthe vertical turret 98 indexes to present another recess T00 for reception of a subsequent socket and the transferarm moves to its position opposite an assembly head on the socket assembly machine. When a packaging orsocket retaining strip becomes filled with accepted sockets the retaining strip magazine indexes so as 'to present a new ship 'at the unloading position of the vertical turret 98.

What is claimed is:

1. An article holding member having a'multiplicityo'f article receiving recesses, an arm for transferring an article to said member and movable from an arm loading position to an arm unloading position adjacent said member, a stripper for unloading the article from said arm and moving the same into one'of the recesses-in the member, drive means for oscillating the arm, and means for operating the stripper coupled to the drive means for synchronous movement therewith comprising a drive shaft, a cam on said drive shaft, a reciprocatable bar, a linkage between said bar and said cam including a cam follower, whereby the bar will be moved injone di're'ction bysaid cam, a spring urging the bar to move in the opposite direction, said stripper being mounted on said reciprocatable bar, a second spring urging the stripper to a non stripping position, a fixed cam engaging the stripper, said cam being effective to move the stripper to operative position upon movement of the reciprocatable bar by said shaft driven cam.

2. A magazine for article retaining means comprising: a rotatable shaft, a plurality of discs mounted thereon at spaced intervals along the shaft, said discs having notched peripheries with the notches of the 'severaldiscs in alignment with each other, channel shaped members for holding said article retaining means fixed within said notches, locking fingers mounted on each disc adjacent each channel member for maintaining said article retaining means in said channel member and common operating means for all of said locking fingers.

3. A magazine for article retaining means comprising: a rotatable shaft, a plurality of discs mounted thereon at spaced intervals along the shaft, said discs having notched peripheries with the notches of the several discs in alignment with each other, channel shaped members for holding said article retaining means fixed within said notches, locking fingers mounted on each disc adjacent each channel member for maintaining said article retaining means in said channel member and common operating means for all of said locking fin'ger's,means for indexing said magazine comprising an index disc fixed on an end of said shaft, said index disc having holes in one surface thereof corresponding to indexed positions of the shaft and having index pins protruding from the obverse surface of said disc at each of said positions, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent the index disc, a locking pin carried by said carriage for engaging one of the holes in the index disc for restraining movement of the disc, a slide box fixedly mounted adjacent the index disc, a slide carried by said slide box, a pawl carried by said slide for engaging said locking pin carriage, a dog mounted on said slide for engagement with said index pins to cause movement of said index disc, and fluid motor means for effecting the movement of said slide.

4. An indexing device comprising a rotatable shaft, an index disc fixedly mounted on an end of said shaft, said index disc having holes in one surface thereof corresponding to indexed positions of the shaft and having index pins protruding from the obverse surface of said disc at each of said positions, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent the index disc, a locking pin carried by said carriage for engaging one of the holes in the index disc for restraining movement of the disc, a slide box fixedly mounted adjacent the index disc, a slide carried by said slide box, a pawl carried by said slide for engaging said locking pin carriage, a dog mounted on said slide for engagement with said index pins to cause movement of said index disc, and fluid motor means for effecting the movement of said slide.

5. A machine for serially packaging sockets having a nonconductive base member and a plurality of conductive members on a retaining strip comprising a socket holding member indexible through a plurality of positions, means for transferring a socket to said holding member at a first position thereof, means for adjusting the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a second position of said holding member, means for testing the adjustment and presence of said conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a third position of said holding member, means at said third position for ejecting rejected sockets from said holding member coordinated with said testing means, means for positioning a socket retaining strip adjacent a fourth position of said holding member to receive the accepted socket and means at said fourth position for transferring the accepted socket from said holding member to said article retaining strip.

6. A machine for serially packaging sockets having a nonconductive base member and a plurality of conductive members on a retaining strip comprising a socket holding member indexible through a plurality of positions, means for transferring a socket to said holding member at a first position thereof, means for adjusting the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a second position of said holding member, means for testing the adjustment and presence of said conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a third position of said holding member, means at said third position for ejecting the rejected socket from said holding member coordinated with said testing means, an indexible magazine adapted to have a plurality of socket retaining strips mounted thereon in serially spaced array positioned adjacent a fourth position of said holding member to receive the accepted socket, means operable to index said magazine when an article retaining strip is filled whereby a further article retaining strip is positioned at said fourth position of said holding member, and means for transferring the accepted socket from said holding member to said article retaining strip at said fourth position of the holding member.

7. A machine for serially packaging sockets having a nonconductive base member and a plurality of conductive members on a retaining strip comprising a socket holding member indexible through a plurality of positions, means for transferring a socket to said holding member at a first position thereof, said transfer means comprising an arm for transferring a socket to said holding member movable from an arm loading position to an arm unloading position adjacent said holding member, a stripper for unloading said socket from said arm and moving said socket into said holding member, drive means for moving said arm between said loading position and said unloading position, means for operating said stripper coupled to said drive means for synchronous movement therewith, means for adjusting the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a second position of said holding member, means for testing the adjustment and presence of the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a third position of said holding member, means at said third position for removing rejected sockets from said holding member coordinated with said testing means, means for positioning a socket retaining strip adjacent a fourth position of said holding member to receive the accepted socket, and means at said fourth position for transferring the accepted socket from said holding member to said article retaining strip.

8. A machine for serially packaging sockets having a nonconductive base member and a plurality of conductive members on a retaining strip comprising a socket holding member indexible through a plurality of positions, means for transferring a socket to said holding member at a first position thereof, means for adjusting the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a second position of said holding member, means for testing the adjustment and presence of the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a third position of said holding member, means at said third position for removing rejected sockets from said socket holding member coordinated with said testing means, an indexible magazine adapted to have a plurality of socket retaining strips mounted thereon in serially spaced array positioned adjacent a fourth position of said holding member to receive the accepted socket, said magazine comprising a rotatable shaft, a plurality of discs mounted thereon at spaced intervals along said shaft, said discs having notched peripheries with the notches of the several discs in alignment with each other, channel shaped members for supporting said article retaining strip fixed within said notches, locking fingers mounted on each disc adjacent each channel member for holding said article retaining strip in said channel and common operating means for all of said locking fingers, means operable to index said magazine when said article retaining strip is filled whereby a further article retaining strip is positioned at said fourth position of said holding member, and means for transferring the accepted socket from said holding member to said article retaining strip at said fourth position of the holding member.

9. A machine for serially packaging sockets having a nonconductive base member and a plurality of conductive members on a retaining strip comprising a socket holding member indexible through a plurality of positions, means for transferring a socket to said holding member at a first position thereof, means for adjusting the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a second position of said holding member, means for testing the adjustment and presence of the conductive members of said socket in cooperation with said holding member at a third position of said holding member, means at said third position for removing rejected sockets from said socket holding member coordinated with said testing means, an indexible magazine adapted to have a plurality of socket retaining strips mounted thereon in serially spaced array positioned adjacent a fourth position of said holding member to receive the accepted socket, said magazine comprising a rotatable shaft, a plurality of discs mounted thereon at spaced intervals along said shaft, said discs having notched peripheries with the notches of the several discs in alignment with each other, channel shaped members for supporting said article retaining strip fixed with said notches, locking fingers mounted on each disc adjacent each channel member for holding said article retaining strip in said channel and common operating means for all of said locking fingers, means operable to index said magazine when said article retaining strip is filled whereby a further article retaining is positioned at said fourth position of said holding member, said means comprising an index disc fixed on an end of said shaft, said index disc having holes in one surface thereof corresponding to indexed positions of said shaft and having index pins protruding from the obverse surface of said disc at each of said positions, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent the index disc, a locking pin carried by said carriage for engaging one of the holes in the index for restraining movement of the disc, a slide box fixedly mounted adjacent said index disc, a slide carried by said slide box, a pawl carried by said slide for engaging said locking pin carriage, a dog mounted on said slide for engagement with said index pins to cause movement of said index disc, fluid motor means attached to said slide for movement thereof, fluid motor control means, said fluid motor control means operable by the presence of predetermined number of accepted sockets on said article retaining strip whereby said magazine is caused to index, and means for transferring the accepted socket from said holding member to said article retaining strip at said fourth position of the holding member.

10. For use in conjunction with an assembly machine, an article packaging apparatus, means to transfer articles from the assembly machine to the packaging apparatus, means to hold each transferred article in the packaging apparatus, said holding means including means to restrain the article from rotation, means to adjust and test the article while in the apparatus, and means to transfer each of the articles so adjusted and tested to article rctaining means.

11. A packaging machine for electron discharge device sockets which consist of a plurality of conductive members in an insulating base, comprising a packaging apparatus, means to transfer the sockets to the packaging apparatus, means to hold each transferred socket in the packaging apparatus, said holding means including means to restrain the article from rotation, means to adjust and test the conductive members of the socket while the socket is retained in the packaging apparatus, and means to transfer the socket to a socket retaining means for storage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 681,949 Butkus Sept. 3, 1901 952,352 Pieper Mar. 15, 1910 1,682,464 Arelt et al. Aug. 28, 1928 1,988,675 Tessky Jan. 22, 1935 2,017,390 Barse Oct. 15, 1935 2,301,747 Peterson Nov. 10, 1942 2,693,901 Olson et al. Nov. 9, 1954 2,755,978 Schoenewolf July 24, 1956 2,816,459 Badlam Dec. 17, 1957 2,828,592 Bergsland et al. Apr. 1, 1958 

